The 52nd CARIFTA Games, the prestigious annual junior athletics competition, got underway at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad, with Bermuda's young athletes eager to make their mark in the Under-17 and Under-20 age categories.
Bermuda claimed their first medal of the Carifta Games in the Evening Session with Cameron Adkins winning the Silver during the Under 17 Boys 1500 Meter Run, Adkins clocked a time of 4:12.86 to claim a spot on the podium.
Meanwhile Jake Smith finished 6th in the Under 20 Boys 1500 Meter Run clocking a time of 4:07.99.
However, the morning session of Day One proved to be a challenging one for the Bermudian contingent, with all athletes missing out on securing a spot in the finals of their respective events.
In the Under 17 Girls 400 Meter Dash, Amaris Munya competed in Heat 2, finishing fifth with a time of 59.84 seconds. Her performance placed her 10th overall, just outside the qualification spots for the final.
Zydon Lightbourne-Furbert ran a strong race in Heat 1 of the Under 17 Boys 400 Meter Dash, crossing the line in third place with a time of 49.76 seconds. Despite his effort, he finished 12th overall, also missing out on a place in the final. Compatriot David Morris competed in Heat 3 of the same event, finishing sixth with a time of 51.30 seconds, placing him 16th overall.
The Under 17 Girls 100 Meter Dash saw two Bermudian athletes in action. Amara Samuels finished sixth in Heat 2 with a time of 12.31 seconds, placing her 12th overall. Lashee Jones competed in Heat 3, finishing third in 12.68 seconds, which placed her 15th overall. Neither athlete advanced to the final.
In the Under 20 Boys 100 Meter Dash, Kyah Richardson finished seventh in Heat 2 with a time of 11.48 seconds, placing him 27th overall. Norre Richardson put in a stronger performance in Heat 4, finishing fourth with a time of 10.69 seconds, which saw him finish 10th overall, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on finals in the morning session, the Bermuda athletes will have further opportunities to compete and showcase their talent as the CARIFTA Games continue in Trinidad. The afternoon and subsequent days will present new challenges and chances for these young athletes to bounce back and strive for success on the regional stage.
